REPLACING FEAR WITH CURIOSITY

Horses have both flight and investigative behaviors but not at the same time. Learn how to help your horse switch to curiosity when his flight instincts kick in, and how to put the brakes on when he's already gone

- JULIE GOODNIGHT

Whether you're on an older horse that's new to life as a young horse just starting out, de-spooking is a process that shouldn't be skipped. The de-spooking process is a systematic approach to teaching a horse to deal with his fear. Our goal is to convert his flight response into an investigative behavior.

Unexpected encounters on the trail can quickly turn into dangerous situations if your horse can only activate his flight response. Horses all have a flight response, and they also demonstrate investigative behavior. They cannot exhibit both at the same time. But they can rapidly switch between the two emotional states, when presented with a novel and frightening element.

If horses didn't maintain their flight response, one could argue that we wouldn't have the incredible equine athletes we have today. The athletic ability to turn on a dime, run long distances, and move with precision and speed can all be seen when a horse activates his flight response. Reining in the flight response, combined with forward motion can turn a dangerous situation into one where your horse becomes curious, investigates a new object, and becomes more confident as he conquers a fear.

Winning the Game

I have a very specific process to train horses how to deal with fear in a healthier way. This process involves 5 steps that will turn the de-spooking journey into a game. A game that your horse can win. When he realizes he can win, each new encounter is an opportunity to become more confident.